1009 The Anti-Prism
HexDolmenwood Campaign Book · p.304
Open source p.304Patches of grey bushes, flowers, and skeletal trees stand out against the otherwise verdant forest.
Patches of grey bushes, flowers, and skeletal trees stand out against the otherwise verdant forest.
- Terrain: Tangled forest (3), High Wold
- Lost/encounters: 2-in. Encountered creatures or people are 3-in likely to be afflicted with the Grey Blight.
- Foraging: Successful foraging yields portions of Parson’s Gobble (p430), in addition to the normal results.
The Anti-Prism
In the north-west of this hex, Harrid’s Path passes through a region, half a mile in diameter, where all the colours of the forest bleed away into monochrome. Trees are bare and undergrowth is wilted. All sounds of nature are silenced, save a low, pulsing hum.
Giant crystal: At the centre of the greyness, a giant, transparent crystal juts 20′ from the earth. A psychedelic mixture of colours swirls inside it, undulating like ink in water.
Touching the prism: A character who touches the prism must Save Versus Spell or contract the Grey Blight. An arcane spell-caster who successfully saves gains an arcane insight into the very nature of colour and the body, and may copy the spell Transparency (p457) into a spell book.
Striking the prism: Beams of colour flash out towards the attacker. They and anyone within 10′ of them must Save Versus Ray or be struck by a beam and be afflicted with a Coloured Heart.
The Coloured Heart
The opposite of the Grey Blight, this much rarer condition alters a victim’s personality based on the colour of the beam that strikes them.
Effects: Roll on the table below.
Cure: Magic of curse removal, keeping the victim in complete darkness for 24 uninterrupted hours, or afflicting them with the Grey Blight, in which case their symptoms are replaced with those of that condition.
Coloured Heart 1 Red—Anger. Infuriated by even the most minor inconvenience. Any time the character is slighted in any way, they must make a Charisma Check or turn violent. 2 Orange—Overconfidence. Rushes headlong into any danger that presents itself. 3 Yellow—Happiness. Filled with joy. Permanent uncanny smile and laughter at inappropriate times. 4 Green—Disgust. Always feels sickened and is visibly off put by anything unusual. Must make a Save Versus Hold to keep any food down. 5 Blue—Sadness. The character only sees the worst in any situation. Their followers must make daily Morale Checks or depart. 6 Violet—Fear. Paranoid. The character automatically fails any Morale Checks or Saving Throws against fear.
The Grey Blight
Victims of the colour-sapping powers of the Anti-Prism have all colour drained from their bodies. They are dull, emotionless husks of their former selves, unable to act of their own will and easily suggestible. Locals refer to this condition as the “Grey Blight.”
Afflicted people: Their entire bodies (including clothing and possessions) are grey. These poor souls are listless zombies, unwilling to speak, unable to do more than sigh.
Afflicted animals and monsters: Furs, feathers, or skins are completely grey. Appear lethargic and depressed; even normally hostile beasts simply laze about.
Cure: Magic of curse removal, immersing the victim in a rainbow, or afflicting them with a Coloured Heart, in which case their symptoms are replaced with those of that condition.